MUW’s red-hot softball team turned up the temperature on Sunday with a two-game sweep at Eureka College to extend its streak of victories to eight games.
The Owls (13-10, 9-0) dominated the series by a combined score of 34-9 and planted themselves at the top of the SLIAC standings as the only unbeaten squad in conference play. They racked up 19 hits and 14 RBI in Game 1 of the doubleheader, but had to break through a 5-4 deficit in the fourth inning of their 16-6 victory. Addison Owen delivered an RBI double to tie the game and MUW took the lead for good in the sixth inning with four runs – an RBI double by Kaylee Crawford and a three-run homer by MC Brown. Their bats stayed alive in the seventh inning and the team plated six more runs to keep command.
Five different Owls had at least two hits, and Owen led the team with five hits in five at-bats. Rachel Etheridge (3-0) got the win in the circle in relief. She pitched the final 4 ⅔ innings and relinquished only one hit and one earned run.
Game 2 was a similar story for MUW as it crushed Eureka 18-3 in five innings. The Red Devils took a 2-1 lead to the third inning before the Owls bats woke up and ignited a bombardment of eight runs – which got started with a grand slam by Brown. As the team piled on 13 hits, it scored six more runs in the fourth and three in the fifth for the sweep. Madison York led the way with three hits and three RBI, and Avery Johnston had two hits and one RBI. Trinity Garvin (4-2) pitched a complete game for the win in the circle and held the Red Devils to just five hits and three earned runs.
After back-to-back stellar performances against Eureka and Lyon College, Owen was named the SLIAC’s Hitter of the Week for the second time this season. Through both series, Owen batted .733 (11-15) with a .722 on-base average, as well as a 1.067 slugging percentage.
The Owls put their undefeated conference record on the line Saturday in a doubleheader against visiting Webster University. Game 1 begins at noon and Game 2 begins 20 minutes after its conclusion.
Baseball
MUW’s baseball squad also grabbed itself a conference victory over the weekend. It narrowly fell in its first game at Westminster on Saturday but rallied for back-to-back wins to grab the series.
The Owls (17-13, 11-5) were clinging to a 7-6 lead in the seventh inning when the Blue Jays got an RBI single by Domenic Nordmann to tie the game. The Jays followed up with a run during a passed ball to take the lead for good in a 8-7 win over MUW. Baron Brack led the team with a single and a two-run homer for two of his squad’s nine hits. Robby Canten (1-4) took the loss after he worked the first 6 ⅓ innings and gave up 11 hits, eight runs (seven earned) and hit four batters. The Jays had five pitchers take the mound and they all combined for eight strikeouts and only two walks.
The Owls tied the series in Game 2 on Saturday in which they held on for a 5-4 win. A two-run blast by Zach Johnson in the first inning got the team on the board as they fell behind 3-2 after the second inning. Back-to-back solo home runs by Matthew Windham and Chase Marshall in the third inning pulled the Owls, who braced a Blue Jays solo shot in the seventh, ahead for good. Four Owls had two hits each for a total of 10 as a team, and Zach Connell (1-4) got the win on the mound. He pitched 4 ⅓ innings and gave up five hits, three earned runs and three walks.
In Sunday’s Game 3, MUW broke through an 8-8 tie in the sixth inning to run away for a series-winning 11-8 victory. The Owls piled on three runs on a Michael O’Neil groundout, Bryson Barnes double and a Windham flyout to take control for good. Barnes had another spectacular showing at the plate with four hits, and Marshall had three. Ellis Chris and Will Carter combined for six strikeouts and 12 hits allowed on the mound.
The Owls played at Huntingdon College yesterday to make-up a game that was rescheduled in March and will host Eureka College for a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Friday. Game 1 is at 1 p.m and Game 2 will follow 30 minutes after its completion. First pitch for Game 3 on Saturday is at 3 p.m.
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